New Bridge Coming To Route 85 In Fentress

TDOT is in the design phase of a new bridge over the East Fork Obey River on Route 85 in Fentress County.

Region 2 Director Danny Oliver said the bridge will be an all-new structure built a few hundred feet south of the current bridge near Wilder Mountain. Oliver said the impact on traffic will be negligible as the old bridge will stay open while the new one is under construction.

“We’ve had some slope and geotechnical issues just with the steepness in the area,” Oliver said. “And we decided it was better to replace that bridge, to actually move it south and satisfy a number of things. And obviously motorist safety is, you know, the centroid of all of that.”

Oliver said the current bridge has deteriorated to the point that it is more cost-effective to build a whole new one instead of repairing it. Oliver said they have already completed significant site work in the area involving environmental studies, property boundaries, and geotechnical exploration.

“All that helps us and helps our design team’s selection of the finite parameters of the bridge layout and what materials we’ll use,” Oliver said. “Also with the constructability of the steep slopes in the area.”

Oliver said there will be a short period where traffic will be controlled by TDOT when they have to tie the roadway for the bridge into Route 85.

“By and large, while this bridge is in construction the motorists should not be impacted,” Oliver said. “Not any more than just seeing construction workers out there and doing some final tie-ins.”

Oliver said the total budget for the project is some $10 million including all expenses for engineering, exploration, and other related activities.

“That’s an average-sized bridge I guess I could say,” Oliver said. “But we do have some challenges with the steep terrain and things like that.”

Region 2 Communications Specialist Gracie Shamblin that construction is scheduled to begin on the bridge in 2026.